By: Abraham Reign Magbiro
Photo courtesy of Mary Joy Salceda | Inquirer.
Transport group Manibela announced that it will stage a three day transport strike starting Tuesday, Dec. 9, 2025, in Metro Manila and several other provinces, to protest what it calls unfair and oppressive implementation of the government's Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program (PUVMP).
The strike will seek to pressure the government into halting franchise consolidation and reopening negotiations with affected drivers and operators.
In an earlier statement, the group argued that thousands of jeepney drivers could be displaced if franchise consolidation continues without proper financial assistance.
“Since the months of May, June and July, we have been tasked to have our vehicles inspected and to get insurance in order to have our vehicles registered,” Manibela chair Mar Valbuena said.
“They made us pay, they made us go back and forth. The only ones who gained from this are the inspection centers and insurance companies.”
Launched in 2017, the Public Transport Modernization Program (PTMP) seeks to phase out old jeepneys and replace them with units equipped with engines that meet at least the Euro 4 emissions standard.
Transport group Manibela has also criticized what it describes as delays in the processing and registration of the affected vehicles.
The group noted that penalties reportedly reach to more than ?12,000 in many cases, often paired with driver’s license suspensions and the addition of demerit points.
Manibela further claimed that bribery and an entrenched “payola system” within the ranks of Land Transportation Office (LTO) enforcers have continued to worsen.
The organization likewise criticized the slow release of vehicle registrations, saying many drivers and operators have already settled the required fees but are still left waiting for their documents.
“Marami ang hindi nakapag-renew, natabunan ang proseso, at hanggang ngayon ay walang ibinibigay na rehistro, malinaw na anyo ng panlilinlang at kapabayaan na nakaaapekto hindi lamang sa mga driver at operator, kundi pati sa mga mananakay na walang masakyan kapag nagkakaproblema ang operasyon,” the group said.
During earlier strikes, LGUs and transport agencies deployed Libreng Sakay buses and coordinated with police and MMDA for traffic and commuter management; these measures are expected to be reactivated for the upcoming strike.
Commuter groups also said that prolonged strikes highlight the deeper issues within the modernization rollout and focus on the need for long-term, inclusive solutions rather than temporary fixes.
Manibela, which has staged multiple strikes this year over the PUV modernization program, alleged government corruption, high fuel taxes, and abuses by traffic enforcers, said the protest may continue until year-end depending on how the DOTr, LTO, and LTFRB respond.
“Hangga’t pinapahirapan po kami, magtutuloy-tuloy ito,” Valbuena said.